Drinking vessels such as cups, mugs and wine glasses are in quite common usage. Many times such drinking vessels are utilized in dimly-lit environments. In such conditions, it would be helpful to utilize the drinking vessel itself to provide some form of illumination, not only from a utilitarian point of view but also from an entertaining and/or aesthetic point of view. The combination of one or more lights with a drinking vessel can be attractive to the user and can provide a form of amusement.
There have been a number of lighted drinking vessels devised, which all incorporate some type of light associated with a drinking cup, a power source and a switch. For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 919,691, a subbase separable from the drinking vessel is provided for housing a battery. When the drinking vessel is placed on the subbase, an incandescent electric lamp is caused to be illuminated. In another illuminated drinking vessel the illumination is accomplished automatically by the raising of the receptacle through a switch in the base, as shown in U.S. Pat. No. 2,177,337. In a like manner, the illuminated drinking vessel of U.S. Pat. No. 2,224,319 has a switch mechanism in the base of the drinking vessel which causes a lamp to be illuminated whenever the drinking vessel is held in one""s hand, but extinguishes the light when the drinking vessel is placed on a tray or table. There has also been devised a drinking vessel, as show in U.S. Pat. No. 5,879,068, wherein the lamp is turned on when the cup is filled with fluid or where the switch is actuated manually by lifting the drinking vessel.
A drinking vessel is needed which permits a user to remove the light emitting means to facilitate replacement, reuse, and repair. Replacement in the sense that the light emitting means and battery(s) may be individually replaced without having to replace the entire illuminated drinking vessel. Reuse in the sense that the light emitting means may be removed during the washing of the illuminated drinking vessel thereby eliminating the possibility of damage to the light and/or battery due to contact with water in the course of washing said illuminated drinking vessel. Repair in the sense that in the event of damage to the light emitting means, it may be replaced thereby retaining the original illuminated drinking vessel.
The present invention resides in an illuminated drinking vessel having a light emitting means enclosed within a light-housing attached via a snap connection. A light emitting means is enclosed within a light housing such as a split-ring or a puck-shaped base and attached via a snap connection. The split ring or puck-shaped base containing the light emitting means are releasably attachable and removable, thereby facilitating replacement, reuse and repair of the drinking vessel.
In a preferred form of the invention, the fluid retaining cup is permanently connected to the lower supporting stem. The light emitting means comprises a light emitting diode which is enclosed within a split-ring. A battery is mounted within the split-ring to provide power for the light emitting diode. The split-ring containing the light emitting diode is releasably attached to a cylindrical rod between the upper fluid-retaining cup and the lower supporting stem wherein the light serves the purpose of illuminating the fluid contents within the fluid-retaining cup.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.